Prior art electrical connectors are shown in Alden, U.S. Pat. No. 5,662,488, issued Sep. 2, 1997; Shenkal et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,564,938, issued Oct. 15, 1996; Behning, U.S. Pat. No. 5,067,909, issued Nov. 26, 1991; Mattingly, U.S. Pat. No. 4,629,272, issued Dec. 16, 1986; and Kasukawa, U.S. Pat. No. 4,526,431, issued Jul. 2, 1985.
Alden shows a connector assembly with three basic parts: a male connector, a female connector and a collar for connecting the two connectors. The collar of Alden uses bosses, sometimes formed on flexible fingers, for traveling in grooves to a position where they are held by frictional or snap action forces against withdrawal. Behning also shows a ring-shaped collar for coupling a male-type connector body and a female-type connector and further provides alignment marks on the three parts to assist the connection. Shenkal et al. discloses a collar that snaps over an edge that is ramped in an axial direction and also shows an opening in such a collar for the purpose of fracturing it and removing it to disassemble the connectors.
Connectors with sealing aspects are disclosed in Kerr, U.S. Pat. No. 3,719,918, issued Mar. 6, 1973; Paterek, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,282, issued Dec. 3, 1996; Hotea, U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,129, issued Feb. 7, 1995; Kasugai, U.S. Pat. No. 4,486,062, issued Dec. 4, 1984; Andersen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,324, issued Oct. 17, 1989; Dittman et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,702,710, issued Oct. 27, 1987; Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,206; issued Feb. 21, 1984; Massa, Jr., U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,208, issued Feb. 15, 1972; Massa, U.S. Pat. No. 3,124,405 issued Mar. 10, 1964; and Yooku, Japanese Abstract No. JP4-123773, issued Apr. 23, 1992.
Andersen et al., U.S. Pat. No. 4,874,324 and Lewis, U.S. Pat. No. 4,433,206, disclose the use of a potting compound in an electrical connector shell for the purpose of retaining and waterproofing both the input cable and the individual wires routed to the connector pins and sockets.
Hotea, U.S. Pat. No. 5,387,129 to Hotea, and Massa, Jr. U.S. Pat. No. 3,643,208 show methods of sealing connectors with potting compound.
In Paterek, U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,282, and Kasugai, U.S. Pat. No. 4,406,062, show the use of O-rings for providing a seal between two mating cylindrical parts.
None of the above prior art shows a connector for submersible applications which provides for quick connection and locking to prevent further access except in cases of further servicing or in cases in which such access provides a tamper indication. Such a connector is desired for field installation and servicing of water metering equipment located in subsurface pits and enclosures.